Life & Death,
by Bree Colbern
Summary: Life and death were two words Steve Rogers knew all about. He had fought death numerous amount of times. He knew all about it. But he had always wondered; what exactly does life mean?


**Hey, ya'll! I just got this very random idea for a story in my head when I heard the words 'life and death', and I pondered over the thought of; 'what do those two words mean to Steve?'. And then: this happened. So it's pretty short, but I'm kind of proud of it. Please let me know what you think of it with a review!**

 **And a special little shout-out to APUFAN007 for all the wonderful reviews you've been giving me! I really appreciate it and I wish I could PM you! But since you're a Guest, I can't really do that... :/ But thanks again! :)**

 **Disclaimer: Nope. I do not own this story.**

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Life and death.

Those two words were ones Steve had heard a lot during his life.

All through his childhood, and later on his adulthood, Steve had cheated death numerous times. His mother had always called him a miracle from Heaven because of it. The words 'life and death', were almost amusing to him.

How could two words, mean such huge things?

The word death was such a finality. And the word life, could mean so many things.

Death seemed like such a rare thing, only happening every once in a while. Yet people didn't realize; it happened everyday.

Everyday, thousands of people were struggling with death, yet everyday, new life was entering the worlds.

Steve wasn't even born yet, when his father had died. Then, all throughout his childhood he had struggled with life and death; constantly just barely hanging on to life and fighting death.

But he was seven years old, when he had experienced his very first real encounter with death. In the old and shabby apartment building both he and his mother had lived in, and down the hallway, lived an elderly woman.

Beth was her name.

Everyday when he came home from school, she would always be out in the 'backyard' of the old, and rundown building.

She would either just be sitting out there, talking to the birds or watching the people walk by, but sometimes she would be pulling weeds, or planting flowers. Steve never understood why.

So, one day, he had decided to toughen up, and ask her why she tried so hard to save something so broken and ruined.

She had simply smiled and replied with; 'everything deserves a second chance'. After that day, he and she would always talk after school, and she would ask him how his day had went, and tell him stories about her childhood.

One day when he had come back home from school, she wasn't outside.

He had known she was doing poorly, and hadn't been feeling as good lately, so he had decided to go see how she was doing. When he had gotten to her small apartment room, he had found her in her room, on her deathbed.

The very last words she had whispered to him, where the very first words she had ever said to him; 'everything deserves a second chance'. He had encountered life and death numerous more times throughout his adolescent years, and then into the War.

The most memorable ones were his mother's death, Bucky's, and Red Skull's. Every occasion had been a rough one; all for different reasons. But during the War, he had also encountered life many times.

Saving people from the clutches of Hydra's hands was definitely one of those many occasions. Then Steve had gone down with the Valkyrie. He had thought that would be his last encounter with life and death.

But he was wrong.

He woke up and was thrown into some crazy new world, and ended up fighting for it within just a couple of weeks. He ended up making new friends, and new enemies, and cheating life and death many more times.

He experienced even more life and death in this world. He had lost Peggy, and all of his friends, he'd saved a few, and lost a few.

But that never stopped him from continuing to fight for what's right. Every time he felt down, or depressed, he repeated that same phrase through out his head, just like he had always used to do; 'everything deserves a second chance'. He figured maybe...

Maybe that was the reason for him surviving the ice; so he could teach others that and give them second chances.

So, when he opened his tired eyes one more time, and looked up at all the relieved and concerned faces surrounding him; Bruce's worried eyes, Tony's relieved eyes, Thor's joyful eyes, Natasha's teary eyes, and Clint's exhausted, yet thankful eyes, Steve knew that that was the exact reason for him being given a second chance.

He offered a weak, yet encouraging smile to his teammates, no, _family_ , and received a light pat on the shoulder from Clint and a couple of gently scolding words from Tony; saying something about 'killing him personally if he ever ran towards a bomb again'.

Steve knew that Tony was relieved, and as he looked over at all his friends, he now knew the reason why he had survived the plane crash. He had struggled with death all his life. He had never understood why he kept fighting, and how he kept fighting. But he knew now.

Life was the reason.

Steve doesn't fight death anymore.

No.

Instead he fought for _life_. For the kids down the street's life, for the innocent people living their lives all around the world, and for his teammates.

Especially for his teammates.

Death is something that Steve Rogers will always struggle with, that's just the way it is. But he has a reason to fight for life now, because you see...

The Avengers are _his_ life.

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 **Hope you enjoyed all 800 words of it! ;) Please review! You always make my day when you guys do that! And it really encourages me to write more! Til' next time! :)**


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